5 Most Important Things For Brooklyn Nets To Defeat Miami Heat

Debby Wong-USA Today Sports

After months of anticipation, the big night has finally arrived for the redecorated Brooklyn Nets vs. the back-to-back champion Miami Heat, Act I.

It’s going to feel a lot more like Game 1 of a postseason series than it will an opening week game when the two square off at Barclays Center in Brooklyn tonight, which is understandable after the Nets added Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Jason Terry and Andrei Kirilenko this summer with the specific intent of knocking the champs off their throne.

And don’t expect that sort of intensity to only be visible from the Nets’ side. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the rest of their Heat teammates are well aware that this will be their opportunity to show the world that those two beatdowns they received from the Nets this preseason meant squat, and they’re still the team everyone should be concerned about.

For the Nets to come out on top tonight, a number of things will have to go their way. If they play the way they did against the Cleveland Cavaliers on opening night, the game will be over before they even get a chance to blink. They’ll also face the same challenge they did that night, as head coach Jason Kidd will not be present once again, serving the final game of his DUI suspension.

Oh, and the Heat are coming off a loss in Philadelphia two days ago that they still can’t believe wasn’t just a bad dream. That should up their effort significantly tonight.

The list can go on and on, but here are the five most important things the Nets must do to send their statement to the Heat.

Mike B. Ruiz is a Brooklyn Nets writer for RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @mikebruiz and “Like” him on Facebook.